Allenstown police hero honored for saving woman stabbed 15 times

Jeffrey King, right, of the Allenstown Police Department was one of five responders recently recognized for helping save the life of an 18-year-old stabbing victim King was presented with the Lifesaver Award by Chief Paul Paquette (RYAN O'CONNOR)

ALLENSTOWN — Master Patrolman Jeffrey King was commended this week for his efforts to save the life of a stabbing victim.

On Jan. 26, an 18-year-old woman was stabbed 15 times and left for dead on the side of Deerfield Road in Bear Brook State Park.

A father and daughter passing by saw another woman get into a red car and almost run the victim over while fleeing. They immediately called 911.

When King arrived, he acted quickly to save the victim's life, using QuickClot to slow the bleeding, said Allenstown Police Chief Paul Paquette.

"He did a very professional job and served a substantial role in saving her life," said Paquette of the Jan. 26 incident that led to the arrests of 18-year-old Samantha Heath and 22-year-old Kyle Buffum.

King, who served 10 years in the U.S. Army and 10 years in the Army Reserves, said he had received substantial training in battlefield trauma and lifesaving efforts.

"It's not something you experience everyday, even as a police officer, but training and adrenaline kick in and you do what you've been trained to do," said King.

King, a nine-year veteran with Allenstown Police Department, was recognized for his efforts with the department's Lifesaving Award.

In addition, the two unnamed Good Samaritans who stopped to help the victim and call 911 were awarded similar accolades, as were Allenstown firefighter/EMTs Jeff Gardner and Heather Hill, Tri-Town Ambulance EMT Cassie McNelly and paramedic Dina Waldron.

"When they got there, they found an individual with some pretty significant injuries and the Tri-Town people and our people really working together as a team under some pretty extreme circumstances to save this girl's life," said Allenstown Fire Chief Dana Pendergast. "In that situation, especially, nobody really knew what was going on, and they were treating this severely injured person while constantly looking over their shoulder in fear that an unknown assailant could still be in the area and return.

"The fact she's alive and even walking today really is a credit to the outstanding team effort by great members of both teams that led to an extraordinary result."